Ever seen the very cool YouTube video “The Machine is Us/ing Us“? If you have, you’ve already experienced kinetic typography. In general, kinetic typography is a mix of motion and text and can include music or voice overs. I know that when I watch this type of video I am more inclined to pay attention to the information or what the author has to say than if it is just music, just motion, or just text. I’m not sure if you could do an entire course this way, but wouldn’t it be interesting to use kinetic typography as a central theme?
I could certainly see it used as a way to engage students and then offer them directions in which to explore the topic at hand. And, if using a social platform like an Elgg installation, the learning could be social as well.
Wow, what a tough question. Overall, I realized that learning is not what I thought it was. I think that the following five “aha moments” show what I learned about learning this year:
1. I’ll never know all the information I want in a tangible and applicable way even if I stay up 72 hours in a row going through tutorials, using software, asking questions, or reading. I learned that I have limits (nooooo! said the SuperMom) and am better for it. Now I can focus on the stuff that matters.
2. I have doubts about the learning styles veracity. There. I said it. The whole concept of visual, auditory, kinesthetic learning is too pat, too neat to explain the myriad wonders of the human brain, nervous system and how we process information. If you agree/disagree with that statement, feel free to post a comment and let the discussion begin!
3. The attention that my posts on developing an e-portfolio for instructional designers humbled me. It was a topic that, apparently, needed exploration and I am glad that I was able to offer a springboard for others in my field.
4. Social networking is not just for saying “hi” to long-lost college buddies. It is a means to learn in any byte size needed (Twitter, blogging, Digg, Delicious, etc). I learned more about instructional design within the past few months watching tweets come through Twhirl than I had in the previous six months before using Twitter. Social learning is the next step in e-learning (if it isn’t already).
5. Open source, open learning, open everything is something that resonates with me. I have learned more about open source in this past year than I realized after conversing with a colleague. This will most likely be the focus of my dissertation (yes, I began my PhD this year).
Now for my top posts, as determined by number of hits. Since I moved my blog recently to a hosted solution, some of the following links will point back to my original blog (aprilhayman.wordpress.com).
What I learned most, though, was that the community created, supported, and participated in by educators is second to none. You are a fabulous group of people who have given me food for thought and made me excited to learn from you about what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. I want to thank each you for the selfless giving of your time and energy.
The thing about this TED talk that interests me is the fact that Timothy Ferriss is an über-learner. He focuses on what he wants to learn to nearly the exclusion of all else … with extraordinary results.
I wonder what instructional design could be if the same concepts were applied to the design cycle? To the students’ interests and well-being? To the teacher’s enthusiasm and communication abilities?
I am not a “self help book” kind of person. I never have been. But after watching the above video I requested his book, “The Four Hour Work Week,” from the local library. I wanted to know how he could attain so much focused, informal learning (a bit of an oxymoron) into such small amounts of time.
I was surprised at what I found. Here was a self marketing guru who understood what it means to challenge the assumptions of, well, about everything. This intrigued me as I tend to question the assumptions of e-learning and design all the time. Why use an LMS? What can I get out of branded products vs. open source? Who benefits the least from e-learning? Does it matter how and when learning happens just as long as it happens? Can informal learning replace the classroom? Will the community as “producer” overtake formal education today or in the future?
Applying his formula for success (DEAL) to the instructional design process may be an interesting foray into leveraging “lifestyle design” for education.
Has anyone had any experience with Timothy Ferriss and his book as applied to education, in general, and e-learning, specifically? Let me know!
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